Rockies take versatile slugger Patterson in Round 4

Rockies take versatile slugger Patterson in Round 4

With the 109th overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the Rockies selected right fielder Jordan Patterson out of the University of South Alabama.

A Mobile native, Patterson had his choice of colleges out of high school, but he decided to stay put and go to South Alabama. He became a legitimate college hitter who can play multiple positions with the Jaguars.

He took home the Sun Conference Player of the Year award after hitting .352 and collecting 82 hits, four of them homers. Patterson also had 49 RBIs and scored 69 runs.

Patterson mostly played first base in college, but he has the athleticism and speed to play in the outfield. At 6-foot-5, he has the body type and strength to be a productive hitter in the heart of the order.

"He's a hitter. We like him at a corner position in the outfield," Rockies senior director of scouting operations Marc Gustafson said. "He's a run producer, gap-to-gap line drive hitter and somebody that we project, all going well, in the middle of the lineup somewhere."

He should be able to hit for average and power from the left side and a capable defender in the infield or the outfield. He finished his junior campaign with a .992 fielding percentage. South Alabama's captain also gets very high marks for his leadership ability.

Patterson even pitched 14.2 innings this year and carried a 1.84 ERA, the lowest on the team, a tribute to his athleticism.

The corner outfielder also showed impressive patience in 2013, walking 41 times in contrast to just 34 strikeouts.

Ian McCue is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.